CELTA Certificate Course: Auckland, New Zealand

Teacher Training in Auckland, New Zealand

Cambridge CELTA Course Information

The CELTA (Cambridge Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) is an initial training course in teaching English as a foreign language designed for those with little or no previous teaching experience. It is also suitable for people who have already taught English but have no formal teaching qualifications and teachers of other subjects who wish to retrain as English language teachers. Although designed for native speakers of English, it is also open to non-native speakers who have native speaker competence in both spoken and written English.

CELTA courses are run at Cambridge University approved centres worldwide all year round. Certificates are awarded by UCLES (University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate). UCLES approves all aspects of the course including the course programme, the trainers, and facilities. CELTA is an internationally recognised qualification and has British Council approval. It is the foundation qualification for employment in most recognised language schools. Course tutors are experienced English language teachers who have taught in a wide range of professional situations and are accredited CELTA trainers. All courses are externally moderated by UCLES, ensuring that rigorous standards are maintained.

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CELTA Entry Criteria

1. No previous teaching experience or training is required
2. Candidates must be 20 years old by the commencement date of the course. (Candidates can be accepted over 18 at the centre's discretion.)
3. Candidates should normally have a standard of education equivalent to that required for entry into higher education, meaning having completed High School at least. However, applicants who do not have formal qualifications may be accepted if the screening tasks suggest that they are likely to complete the course successfully).
4. Older candidates who finished studies and schooling some years ago are encouraged to apply as the screening tasks will show their competence and ability to complete the course successfully or not.
5. Have an awareness of language and a competence in both written and spoken English which will enable them to undertake the course and prepare for teaching a range of levels
6. Please note: Fulfilling entry requirements does not automatically guarantee a place on the CELTA course. Selection of candidates is based on an application task and a pre-course interview. If applicants have been successful, they will receive an offer of a place in the mail.

Equal Opportunities

The Auckland Center is an Equal Opportunities employer and training centre. We welcome applications from all adults regardless of age, race, gender, physical ability or sexual orientation.

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CELTA Course Content & Length

The CELTA course is an intensive course that runs for four weeks. The normal working day is from 09.30 to 17:30 Monday to Friday but this may be extended occasionally, to include observations and tutorials. The course is very intensive and, in addition to the above, trainees need to keep some evenings and weekends free to plan classes and write assignments.

The core of the course is six hours of teaching practice. In this time, trainee teachers teach a variety of lesson types to adult learners of English at two different levels. The supervised teaching practice is supported with guided lesson planning and personalised feedback on lessons.

There are two seminars or workshops each day, which include demonstration lessons, discussion of teaching principles and techniques, materials evaluation, and language analysis for teaching purposes.

Trainee teachers also observe six hours of experienced teachers and teacher trainers in language classes at the school. In addition, candidates write four assignments on topics involving language teaching and learning.

Details: Intensive CELTA Auckland

• Days: Monday to Friday
• Hours: 09.30 - 17.30
• Length of course: One month/20 days
• Teaching practice hours: 6
• Observation of experienced teachers
• Minimum 6 hours
• Trainer to participant ratio: 1 - 6 Maximum for teaching practice and lesson planning

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International Recognition

The CELTA certificate offered at the Auckland Center is internationally recognised, the CELTA candidates in Auckland receive the same internationally recognised Cambridge University CELTA certificate as they would at any other centre in the world. Courses may vary from centre to centre but each CELTA centre, trainer and course is externally assessed by Cambridge University to the same high international standard.

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CELTA Course Assessment & Grading

The course assessment is both continuous and integrated. There is no final "exam." The training centre works hard to make the assessment procedure as transparent as possible. Candidates are able to ask their trainer at any point in the course how they are progressing and what they can do to improve. Candidates are made fully aware of the criteria for assessment throughout the course and are given one-to-one counselling to focus on strengths and to identify areas in need of development.

All teaching practice records and assignments are submitted in a portfolio at the end of the course for final assessment.

Trainees are expected to demonstrate competence in the following areas, in both their teaching practice and assignments:

• Language awareness, including aspects of vocabulary, grammar, phonology and a consideration of how language is used to express different meanings.
• Classroom techniques to manage a language class effectively.
• Effective lesson planning for adult learners including timetabling.
• Awareness of teaching and learning styles and the different contexts in which English is taught.
• Evaluation of materials available for teaching.
• Professional development and the ability to evaluate strengths and weaknesses in their teaching.

Grading

The grades awarded are Pass, Pass"B" and Pass"A"’ and are based primarily on teaching ability and competence in lesson planning. The written assignments are also taken into account for the final grade. Award of the CELTA requires meeting Cambridge criteria for the ability to teach adult learners of English and, on very rare occasions, candidates can fail the course and not be certified.

Provisional grades are awarded at the end of the course. A certificate, issued by UCLES, is sent out six weeks after the end of the course and includes a personalised report written by the tutors. The report focuses on the teacher’s strengths and areas to develop beyond the course.

At the Auckland Center they make every effort to be explicit and clear about the grading system. Each lesson is graded with tutor comments explaining the grade and how if it is appropriate the grade could be improved for the next lesson. Twice during the course you will have an individual tutorial with your tutor who will explain how you are progressing and support you. If any candidate is at risk of failing they are offered additional tutor time and support.

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2013 CELTA Dates

Apply now!

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2013 Accommodation

If required, the Teacher training Center can arrange homestay accommodation for the CELTA and TESOL candidates (NZ$240 / week, plus a booking fee of NZ$200 - including single room, breakfast and dinner on weekdays, and three meals on weekends and public holidays).

Accommodation in apartments is also an option that the Training Center can provide, subject to availability. Prices for this option vary according to the time of the year, length of the stay and type of apartment requested.

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Enrolment Procedure

1. If you believe you cover the minimum requirements to be considered as a candidate for the CELTA course ask for the application package that includes the enrolment form and the pre-interview task.
2. Prospective trainees must complete the pre-Interview task, fill in the enrolment form and return them to the CELTA Programmes Coordinator including an updated copy of their CVwell in advance of the course starting date. These documents can be emailed.
3. Applicants who have satisfactorily completed the pre-interview task will be invited to attend an interview shortly after this date at the school or on the telephone (at your own cost) if you are overseas.
4. Successful applicants will receive an offer of a place on the course of their choice immediately, if there is a place available.
5. Payment: After receiving a payment request from StudyCELTA, a deposit of NZ$550 is required to secure the place. Under exceptional circumstances this may be transferred to another course. The outstanding balance (NZ$2,550) is due four weeks before the start of the course. Failure to pay the balance may result in the place being offered to someone else.
6. On receipt of your deposit the CELTA tutors will send you a pre-course task, answer key, and reading list to help you prepare further.
7. There is at least one tutor for each group of six trainee teachers and the demand for vacancies on these courses is very high. Applicants are advised to apply well in advance of the start of a course, although there are occasionally places available due to last-minute cancellations.

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How to Pay

All payments need to be done in New Zealand dollars via bank transfer, free of charges, into the StudyCELTA bank account in New Zealand.

Upon acceptance onto a course, a deposit of NZ$550 is required to secure the place. Under exceptional circumstances this may be transferred to another course. The outstanding balance (NZ$2,550) is due four weeks before the start of the course. Failure to pay the balance may result in the place being offered to someone else. Please read and sign the terms and conditions detailed in this pack.

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